Elizabeth Arnott

Chía Breakfast Bars

Chía seeds are an ancient super-food whose use can be traced back to the Aztecs and the Mayans. Members of the mint family, chía seeds have valuable nutritional properties; their essential fatty acids help boost metabolism, and they are especially useful for detox and weight loss. As there is no cooking required, these breakfast bars are very easy to prepare, and can be made in advance and taken out of the refrigerator when needed

Time: 15 minutes
plus overnight chillingMakes 12 barsIngredients:1 cup (6oz/170g)
dried figs1 cup (6oz/170g) dried
apricots1 cup (5oz/140g)
nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews)½ cup (2½oz/75g) chía
seeds1 tbspn coconut oil1 tspn cinnamon
powder½ inch (1cm)
ginger (peeled and grated)Method:1. Turn on the
food processor, gradually add the dried fruit and nuts and process until they
have formed a thick paste2. In a mixing
bowl, mix the paste, chía
seeds, coconut oil, cinnamon and ginger to form a thick dough3. Place a sheet
of waxed paper on a large chopping board.
Put the mixture onto the waxed paper and begin to spread it out. Cover with another sheet of waxed paper
and gently spread it out with a rolling pin into a square or rectangular shape,
about ¼ inch (½cm) thick4. Wrap and chill
for at least an hour, or preferably overnight5. Cut into 12
bars, wrap each bar in waxed paper, and store in the refrigeratorCook's tips:* Chía bars make a useful snack or can be
included as part of a lunch box. They can be stored in the refrigerator for
several weeks, or for up to three months in the freezer* You could
replace the dried figs with large, stoned dates